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Running with Scissors (film)
| screenplay = Ryan Murphy | based on = | starring = | music = James S. Levine | cinematography = Christopher Baffa | editing = Byron Smith | production companies = | distributor = TriStar Pictures | released = | runtime = 116 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = | gross = $7,022,827 }} 'Running with Scissors' is a 2006 American film based on Augusten Burroughs' 2002 memoir of the same name, written and directed by Ryan Murphy, and starring Joseph Cross, Annette Bening, Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes, Evan Rachel Wood, Alec Baldwin, Jill Clayburgh, and Gwyneth Paltrow. The semi-autobiographical account of Augusten Burroughs' childhood (when his real name was still Christopher Robison), based on his best-selling book, received mixed reviews as a film. Plot Augusten Burroughs' mother, Deirdre, who wishes to become a famous poet, suffers from severe mood swings and erratic behavior. Augusten's alcoholic father, Norman, proves to be of no help. By the time he is a young teenager, Augusten no longer feels safe in his own house because of his parents. Deirdre loudly claims that Norman is the reason for her unhappiness, and that he desires to kill her. She ultimately sends then 13-year-old Augusten to live with her psychiatrist, Dr. Finch, the eccentric ("Everyone... a miracle... see.. my turd is a direct communication from the Holy Father") patriarch of an oddball family, which consists of his submissive wife Agnes, religious older daughter Hope, and his rebellious younger daughter Natalie, who is slightly older than Augusten. Augusten finds it hard to adjust to living with the Finchs, and is subject to irregular weekend visits by his increasingly unsound mother. After confessing to Natalie that he is gay, Augusten befriends Neil Bookman, Finch's patient and adopted 33-year-old son. The two begin an erratic sexual relationship quickly after meeting, but Augusten finds it difficult to cope with their age difference. Consistent with a confidence pattern seen with the family of Neil – and with a 41-year-old patient who abused Natalie, and with young adult patient Dorothy Ambrose – Dr. Finch manipulates Deirdre into signing over her money to him. By the time of Augusten's 15th birthday, Deirdre has found temporary stability with her living companion Dorothy ("I've always wanted a daughter"), leaving Augusten feeling like his mother no longer wants him, while also dealing with the negative effects of Neil's schizophrenia and Dorothy's animosity. A few years later, the still teenaged Augusten leaves for New York to become a writer. He says goodbye to his mother and goes to the bus station. Agnes, with whom he has developed a caring relationship, arrives and gives him some money she has saved up. In a mid-credits vignette, it is shown that Dr. Finch lost his license for insurance fraud and died in 2000, Agnes went to work in a nursing home, Natalie earned a degree in psychology, Hope worked with her dad until his death, Norman re-established contact with Augusten and died in 2005, Deidre remains estranged from her son, Neil was never heard from again, and Augusten (the real Augusten, seen onscreen sitting beside the film's Augusten) wrote a book. Cast * Joseph Cross as Augusten Burroughs ** Jack Kaeding as 6-year-old Augusten * Annette Bening as Deirdre Burroughs * Brian Cox as Dr. Finch * Joseph Fiennes as Neil Bookman * Evan Rachel Wood as Natalie Finch * Alec Baldwin as Norman Burroughs * Jill Clayburgh as Agnes Finch * Gwyneth Paltrow as Hope Finch * Gabrielle Union as Dorothy Ambrose * Patrick Wilson as Michael Shephard * Kristin Chenoweth as Fern Stewart * Dagmara Dominczyk as Suzanne * Colleen Camp as Joan * Augusten Burroughs (''uncredited) as Himself Reception Critical response The review aggregator website Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating, gave the film a score of 52 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 31% approval rating, based on 130 reviews, with an average score of 5/10. The site's consensus states: " Despite a few great performances, the film lacks the sincerity and emotional edge of Burroughs' well-loved memoir". Accolades Soundtrack The soundtrack for the film was released on September 26, 2006, a month prior to the film's release.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H9I1OG # "Pick Up the Pieces" – Average White Band # "Blinded by the Light" – Manfred Mann's Earth Band # "The Things We Do for Love" – 10cc # "Mr. Blue" – Catherine Feeny # "One Less Bell to Answer" – The 5th Dimension # "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás" (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps) – Nat King Cole # "Poetry Man" – Phoebe Snow # "Bennie and the Jets" – Elton John # "Year of the Cat" – Al Stewart # "O Tannenbaum" – Vince Guaraldi Trio # "A Great Ocean Liner" – James S. Levine # "Stardust" – Nat King Cole # "Teach Your Children" – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young An adaptation of Telepopmusik's "Another Day" was also an underlying theme that recurred several times throughout the film. "Waltz for Debby", "Very Early", and "Re: Person I Knew", by Bill Evans are used in the film as well. The song playing in the "Stew" scene is "d-moll" by the duo Tosca off of their album Delhi 9; this theme is repeated through the film. See also * List of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender-related films by storyline References External links * * * * * * Category:2006 films Category:2000s comedy-drama films Category:American films Category:American comedy-drama films Category:American coming-of-age films Category:American LGBT-related films Category:English-language films Category:Directorial debut films Category:Films about dysfunctional families Category:Films about psychiatry Category:LGBT-related films based on actual events Category:Films based on biographies Category:Films set in Massachusetts Category:Films set in the 1970s Category:Films shot in Los Angeles Category:Lesbian-related films Category:TriStar Pictures films Category:Plan B Entertainment films Category:Films produced by Brad Pitt Category:Films directed by Ryan Murphy (writer) Category:Film scores by James S. Levine